PWD officials are hopeful that this work would be completed in a couple of months

The Metrowater has claimed that sewage contamination in drinking water at Five Holes Bridge in Villivakkam was due to unauthorised tampering with water pipelines. This submission was made on behalf of the Metrowater General Manager Amudhavalli before the First Bench of the Madras High Court, which had directed her to appear before it on Thursday in person in connection with a public interest litigation. The PIL had been filed by P Cholaraja contending that because of the encroachments made on one side of the bridge and damage caused to the pipelines, sewerage coming under the bridge got mixed up with drinking water. On Thursday, in reply to a query from the Bench comprising Chief Justice AP Shah and Justice FM Ibrahim Kalifulla, the government pleader said on behalf of the Metrowater GM that water samples were collected and tested regularly and steps taken for preventing contamination. However, pipelines were being tampered with unauthorisedly, which caused contamination of drinking water, he said. Repair works were also being taken up as and when required. He also came forward to file an analysis and a detailed report on the steps taken to avoid contamination. And the Bench adjourned the matter till February 25.

The Madras High Court has directed the General Manager of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board to be present in court on Thursday in connection with a public interest litigation petition seeking a direction to authorities to prevent contamination of the city's drinking water with drainage water. In the petition, which came up before the First Bench, comprising Chief Justice A.P.Shah and Justice F.M.Ibrahim Kalifulla, petitioner P. Cholaraja of Villivakkam submitted that the people of Chennai were using contaminated water supplied by the Board.

With mercury levels rising, Mayor Rajlaxmi Bhosale has agreed to convene a special general body meeting to discuss the issue of water scarcity with corporators representing scarcity-hit areas within the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits. Leader of House, Anil Bhosale pointed out the PMC's failure to stick to their commitment of resolving the issue water scarcity at a faster pace. "The problem is likely to aggravate this summer, and the issue needs to be tackled with proper planning,' Congress leader Ulhas Bagul said.

Shimla may be getting ready to get an additional drinking water supply of 20 million litres (MLD) everyday when the Rs 65-crore Giri water supply scheme is commissioned in the next few weeks, but that's not enough to quench the thirst of this tourist town for the next 30 years. The focus has thus shifted to the Rs 750-crore Pabbar gravity water supply scheme

Residents of Tiruvottiyur Municipality may soon be relieved of their water woes as a comprehensive water supply scheme is set to take off in a few months. The Rs.70-crore project is awaiting funds from the Centre under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). The detailed project report, prepared taking into account the requirement of the local body, was recently submitted to Chennai Metrowater that would be the implementing agency for the project.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Tuesday began the construction of the tunnel which will be undersea one meter and underground for remaining two kms

The Centre has sanctioned a grant of Rs 75 crore for the development of Zirakpur. The Punjab Government had already released Rs 10 crore for the development plan. Punjab Cooperation Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh handed cheques to the NAC Zirakpur president on Monday. The Minister said that though Punjab's share accounts to about Rs 7.5 lakh, it was contributing higher amount to accelarte the project. He said that the grant would be used for ensuring supply of potable water and sewerage facility to the residents.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi will lay the foundation stone for the long-awaited Rs. 1,334-crore Hogenakkal Water Supply Project in Dharmapuri on February 26, Local Administration Minister M.K. Stalin said on Monday. On his arrival at the Chennai airport after a week-long tour of Japan to seek assistance from the Japan Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC), Mr. Stalin told reporters that the first proposals were made when Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was in power in 1997, but the scheme could not go ahead due to change of power in 2001.

Delhi Chief Minister and chairperson of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Sheila Dikshit has stated that after getting adequate water from Haryana, Nangloi water treatment plant would function with its full capacity. This would provide sufficient water in Outer Delhi area. It has been discussed with the Haryana government and very soon adequate water would be supplied to the Nangloi plant. The Chief Minister also said that the DJB would strive hard to ensure supply of drinking water to all by commissioning 58 underground reservoirs (UGR) by March 2009.